(57) A memory for searching information through prefix analysis, in particular for building
routing tables for nodes of high speed communication networks, such as Internet network,
comprises a memory element (M1) which stores a set of information items associated
each one to a mask information indicative of the number of significant characters
in the respective prefix and to a target information. For the implementation of a
search criterion based on the longest prefix match, each cell comprises an information
field that provides either an address of a next row for the continuation of a search
or an information relating to a target reached, and a pair of flags (GO, TARGET) specifying
the contents of the information field. An auxiliary vector (AUX), which comprises
as many cells as many the memory rows are, is arranged to store, when the flags in
a cell in the memory element indicate the reaching of a target together with the need
of prosecuting search operations in a next row, the target information in its cell
associated to said next row.
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